Improvement in machines for baling hay and other materials



l 'Hay Loader. l No. 43,482. Patenied .Iuly 12v, 1864.

lllllllml fu 1R 41W 2 Sheets-Sham 2. E. DORR.

l Hay Loader.

Patented July 12, 1864.

' `UNITED 4STATES PATENT j OFFICE.

EDWARD DORR, OF ROOKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BALING HAY AND OTHER MATERIALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,482, dated July lf2, 1864.

To all 'wh-0m 'it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWARD DORR, of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful machine for baling hay taken directly from the ground on which it is cut and for other purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, reference being had to th'e and the power is applied to the entire surface of one side of the bale. Hence the amount of force required toward the last of the operation is enormous. Moreover, the mechanism employed, so far as I am acquainted with it, is wholly unsuited to the continuous baling of hay taken directly from the ground as fast as it is gathered.

'lhe object of the invention which constitutes the subject-matter of this patent is to compress hay and similar materials-such as straw, grain in the stalk, cotton, iiax, and hemp-into bales by acting upon a comparatively small portion of the material composing the bale at a time, and by acting upon every portion of the said material progressively, so that the force expended at any moment is comparatively small; also to bale or bundle such articles as hay and grain in the condition they exist in alter cutting and before they are gath- -ered up for removal from the ground, the maing the. bale being wound upon itself in successive layers, each of which tends to confine the preceding layers; and the first part of the invention consists of the combination of a shaft or its equivalent, on which tbe material is wound prbgressively, a pair of heads or their equivalent to confine the material laterally and give form to the heads of the bale, a platform or its equivalent, and springs or their equivalent to cause the platform and shaftv to press the material between them with a yielding pressure, the whole operating in such manner that the material wound upon the shaft between the heads is compressed asitis wound, and that the shaft and platform separate as the bale increases in diameter.

The second part of the invention consists of the combination of the iirstpart of tbe invention with a roller and springs or their equivaient to compress the layer of material previous to its being wound into a bale.

The third part of the invention consists of the combination of the iirst part of the invention with an endless apron to convey thematerial to the pressing machinery.

The fourth part of the invention consists of the combination of the rst part of the invention with a carriage fitted with t'n1gers,so that hay or grain in the iield may be gathered up and compressed in to a bale or bundle by a continuous operation without taking the material to a stationary press.

The fth part of the invention consists of the combination of the first part thereof with a carriage fitted with ngers and a raking or gathering mechanism, so that hay or grain in the eld may be gathered up and baled automatically by drawing the machine over the field.

The sixth part of `the invention consists in the construction of the compressing-shaft, on which the bale is wound, in two parts, tapering in opposite direct-ichs, so as to facilitate its withdrawal from the bale.

The accompanying drawings representa niachine embodying my invention, and suitable to be drawn by horses over a field for the purpose of gathering up and baling hay. All the acting parts of this machine are secured to a carriage, which is to be iitted with a tongue by which it can be drawn by horses, said tongue not being shown in the drawings, as the construction, application, and operation of a drafttongue are well known to builders and Yusers of agricultural machines. The side pieces, A A, of this carriage are curved at their forward ends like sled-runners, so as to slide over the ground. At their hinder ends they are -supported by wheels B B', one of which is connected with and operates the pressing mechplaced before the formation of a new bale is commenced. Below this shaft is the platform E, between which and the shaft U the material is compressed. This platform is formed in this instance of a spring-board secured at its front end to the carriage, so that its hinder end (which is beneath the compressing-shaft U) can vyield and separate from the shalt as the bale Y increases in diameter, but presses the material wound on the compressing-shaft with a forcedue to the elasticity and rigidity of the wood of which it is composed. In order to increase the force used in compressing the material, springs F are introduced beneath the platform; and in this instance these are arranged, as shown in the drawings, to remain inoperative until the bale'L has reached a certain diameter. The compressingshaft C is 'fitted with a pair of removable heads, G Gr,

which confine the material laterally and determine the form of the ends of the bale produced.

The teeth, as represented iu the drawings, are situated at the front of the `nnachine and the compressing mechanism at its hinder end. Between these two there is a yielding roller, H, to act upon the material passing along the platform to the compressing-shaft O, and thus compress the layer before it is wound upon the shaft. The journals of this roll are supported in standards d d, which are connected with a cross-beam, J, beneath the platform E, and with springs K, (one at each side of the platform,) so that the roller operates with a yielding pressure upon the layer of material passing beneath it to the compressing-shaft C.

In order that the material may be conveyed from the front end of the machine to the compressing meehanism, an endless apron or conveyer, L, is provided. This apron is supported by two rollers, m m, at its ends, and its upper portion lies upon the platform and passes under the compressing-shaft G, so that the bale lies upon it. Hence the surface of the compressing-shaft C will move the apron by contact with it before the bale is commenced, and as soon as the bale begins to form its surface will'move the apron by contact. The apron may, however, be driven by a special mechanism, if this plan be deemed expedient.

In order that the material may be gathered `up automatically, an automatic rake or gath*4 'erer is employed. This consists, inthe Vmachinev represented, of a series of radial arms,

n, secured to a sha-ft, M, to which a revolving movement is impaited by means of a belt, 0, encircling belt-pulleys, l) P', secured to the shaft M and to one of the running-wheels, B, so that the gatherer is caused to revolve automaticallv as the machine is drawn over the field. The compressing-shaft G is caused to revolve in a similar manner by means of the driving-wheel B and in the machine represented (which is an illustration of one mode of embodying my invention) the power is transmitted from the shaft ofthe running-wheel to thc compressing-shaft by a belt, Q. I contemplate, however, the employment of cogwheel gearing for this purpose whenever the force required to wind up the material under the pressure is such that a belt would slip. The com pressing-shaftb` is formed tapering, so that it may be more readily withdrawn from the complete bale; and in order to facilitate this operation the shaft is formed of two parts, r s, which are wedge-formed in opposite direc tions, so that one may be Withdrawn before the other. The end of this shaft is made square, so that acapstan-head ora crank may be ap plied to it, or gearing s'o as to operate the shaft and compress materiai fed to the machine into bales when the machine is at rest. In'order. to diminish the friction, one or more rollers may be arranged under the upper member of the conveying-apron parallel with and oppov site to the compressing-shaft.

The machine thus described is designed to rake up-and bale hay from the field, so as to dispense with the necessity of conveying it to a stationary press. It may also be used as a stationary press, in which case the compressing-shaft is tobe driven by any suitable power, and the hay or other material is to be fed upon the apron L.

Parts of my invention may be used without others-as, for example, the rst part of it may be used in the construction of a stationary press to press hay or cotton in a building.

The invention may also be embodied in different formsas, for example, it may be embodied in a reaping-machine for cutting grain in such manner that the grainfalling upon the platform behind the teeth or fingers of the machine is baled or bundled before itis discharged from thel machine. In this form the fingers of the reaping-machine replace the lingers at the front end of the carriage of the machine I have described, and the reel or raking mechanism of the harvester replace the automatic gatht erers. The use of the invention in this form dispenses with the necessity of binding the grain into sheaves, and the grain is in a good condition for subsequent operations, as the opening in thecenter of the bundlefrom which the compressing-shaft is withdrawn permits it to dry. It is also easily fed to a thrasher by unwinding the layer and delivering it as unwound upon the feed-apron of the thrasher.

The machine may also be varied in construction without substantially changing its mode of operation-as, for example, by constructing the platform or its equivalent in such manner that it is stationary, and the compressingshaft so that `it is movable, and applying springs or Weights to the compressingshaft, so that it may separate from the stationary platform (as the bale increases in diameter) with a yielding pressure.

1n the baling of materials which are to remain in the bale for transportation to marketsuch as hay, straw, and raw cottonthe bale should be secured by a few longitudinal staves and one or more bands of Wire or cord. The bands may, however, be of much less strength than those usually required for bales, as the wrapping of each succeeding layer of stalks or ber around its predecessors assists in binding them together.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure in this patent, is

l. The combination of a compressing-shaft, lateral confining-heads, platform, and springs operating to compress hay, cotton, and similar materials into a bundle or bale, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the preceding combination with a roller and springs, operating to compress the material in the layer `previous to its compression into the bundle or bale, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the rst preceding combination with a conveyer, the whole operating substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the first preceding combination with a carriage itted with fingers so operating that the material may be gathered and baled or bundled from the ground, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the rst preceding combination with a carriage fitted with lingers and gathering mechanism operating substantiaally as set forth.

6. The construction of the compressing-shaft in two parts tapering in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

In testimony WhereofI have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of March, A. D. 1864. r

EDWARD BORR.

Witnesses:

J. G. MANLOVE, ALBERT E. WHITE. 

